I met someone recently (A buisness type) who said he would be surprised if I were still in academia in 2 years time. He could see that the rot had set in and I would never be happy again until I moved out.

I know a few people who have gambled their career and jumped out of a secure job to start out on their own they nearly always succeed, in fact i don’t know anyone who has failed.

You need nuts the size of melons to make this kind of decision especially with a young family and mortgage, but the evidence I have suggests it will pay off in the long term.

The guy was right, I am not going to be happy again, and I am dammed if I’m going to become a 65 year old professor on 45grand a year waiting to retire on a state pension.

But when is the right time to jump?

PREDOMINANT said:

I met someone recently (A buisness type) who said he would be surprised if I were still in academia in 2 years time. He could see that the rot had set in and I would never be happy again until I moved out.

I know a few people who have gambled their career and jumped out of a secure job to start out on their own they nearly always succeed, in fact i don’t know anyone who has failed.

You need nuts the size of melons to make this kind of decision especially with a young family and mortgage, but the evidence I have suggests it will pay off in the long term.

The guy was right, I am not going to be happy again, and I am dammed if I’m going to become a 65 year old professor on 45grand a year waiting to retire on a state pension.

But when is the right time to jump?

The right time to jump is when you line up something else that pays the mortgage.

Genesia said:

PREDOMINANT said:

I met someone recently (A buisness type) who said he would be surprised if I were still in academia in 2 years time. He could see that the rot had set in and I would never be happy again until I moved out.

I know a few people who have gambled their career and jumped out of a secure job to start out on their own they nearly always succeed, in fact i don’t know anyone who has failed.

You need nuts the size of melons to make this kind of decision especially with a young family and mortgage, but the evidence I have suggests it will pay off in the long term.

The guy was right, I am not going to be happy again, and I am dammed if I’m going to become a 65 year old professor on 45grand a year waiting to retire on a state pension.

But when is the right time to jump?

The right time to jump is when you line up something else that pays the mortgage.

My wife?

I also think that without the driver to suceed, you may never make the move. Like the fear of failure helps you succeed.

PREDOMINANT said:

Genesia said:

The right time to jump is when you line up something else that pays the mortgage.

My wife?

I also think that without the driver to suceed, you may never make the move. Like the fear of failure helps you succeed.

If you have the luxury of a spouse who can pull the wagon, you can jump any time.

Maybe you need an intermediate step - a private-sector job - before you try to start your own business.

Genesia said:

PREDOMINANT said:

My wife?

I also think that without the driver to suceed, you may never make the move. Like the fear of failure helps you succeed.

If you have the luxury of a spouse who can pull the wagon, you can jump any time.

Maybe you need an intermediate step - a private-sector job - before you try to start your own business.

I think I would rather kill myself than work in the private sector and even though I have all bases covered I don't know when to make the move. The other intermediate option is go down to 0.5FTE.

PREDOMINANT said:

Genesia said:

If you have the luxury of a spouse who can pull the wagon, you can jump any time.

Maybe you need an intermediate step - a private-sector job - before you try to start your own business.

I think I would rather kill myself than work in the private sector and even though I have all bases covered I don't know when to make the move. The other intermediate option is go down to 0.5FTE.

Let me get this straight: You would rather kill yourself than work in the private sector - and you think you can make a go of running a business? What do you think the private sector is?

Good luck - you'll need it.

Genesia said:

PREDOMINANT said:

I think I would rather kill myself than work in the private sector and even though I have all bases covered I don't know when to make the move. The other intermediate option is go down to 0.5FTE.

Let me get this straight: You would rather kill yourself than work in the private sector - and you think you can make a go of running a business? What do you think the private sector is?

Good luck - you'll need it.

You make a very good point

I meant work for someone else, I clearly don't see myself as being in control when I immediately think of the private sector.